Lots of Nature, Running Updates & a Relaxing Weekend

I love all the daylight, warmer weather, and sunshine. I forgot what the sun was for a while, but it’s finally back down here in the Carolinas. I don’t think I could have taken another straight week of rain. I’m the type of person that lets the weather affect their moods, and not always in a positive way. The good weather has made my plan of getting back into running much smoother. I’ve been keeping up with the running schedule, and can’t wait to see how I feel next week at this time. The hardest part is taking the baby steps, even when you want to make that giant leap. I’m doing things the right way this time.

I hope you all had a great week and woke up this morning feeling motivated and productive! Let’s get started with the weekly recap! My Monday morning was blogged in the last weekly recap! I had a late start to blogging, so you can read all about that there. I spent the evening finishing up some laundry before heading to the couch to watch the Bachelor Finale. I called the ending from the start. This was just one of these “ugh” seasons. I didn’t have a favorite (other than Demi), so it is what it is!

I got hungry around 8 pm, so I heated up my leftover salmon and brussels sprouts in the oven for dinner. If you’re weird about leftover salmon like I am, putting it back in the oven is the only way to revive it. Microwaving leftover salmon will just dry it out and make it taste weird. I got a sweet tooth after watching all the Bachelor madness, so I grabbed the Dolci Di Maria dessert I had in the back of my freezer and decided to try it finally. After taking one bite, I had to hurry up and lock it back in the freezer. It was one of the most delicious gluten-free and vegan desserts I had ever had. I found it at Earthfare, and I’m going to try not to buy the carrot cake one next time I’m there! I do love the way they sell these because sometimes you want cake, but not the whole cake! I was pretty proud of my self-control because it took me a good four days to finish. It was hard to take a bite and put it away, but I wanted to savor it. Tuesday morning breakfast was one of those “random” ones. I had a slice of gluten-free bread (Trader Joe’s brand) with creamy peanut butter, and a bowl of quinoa cereal topped with chocolate chips, coconut, and muesli. I tend to throw a lot of random things together in a bowl sometimes.I was having such an “off” day on Tuesday. There was no particular thing throwing me off, but I just felt so down and tired. I had been feeling like this for a while, and I usually blame those emotions on the weather. I didn’t feel like doing anything, and nothing was working around the house to get me out of the slump. I decided to get my workout clothes on, grab a coffee at Starbucks, and walk the trail. I had only planned to do a couple of miles, but I ended up doing four miles, and when I got into my car, I realized how much my mood had shifted. I felt like all the anxiety had been lifted, and my energy levels were up again. It’s crazy what a good playlist and a trail in nature can do for your mind.

I walk the dogs three miles a day, but I think going out alone without the worry of having a dog, or someone stopping you to pet the dog, just allowed my mind to relax and not have any concerns. Tuesday was a reminder that I need to do this more often. This one hour I spent walking changed my entire day around.I had wanted to try out the chickpea crumbs I had in my pantry, so I decided to make some chicken fingers for dinner with them. I breaded some chicken breasts with the crumbs and added the everything but the bagel seasoning to add extra flavor!I’m a fan! They came out super crunchy and tasted great. I can’t wait to do this with the tilapia I have in the fridge. I had a butter lettuce salad with avocado, sunflower seeds, and apple cranberry quinoa on the side.On Wednesday morning, I headed out on my run. If you read last week’s recap post, then you know I’m running one mile every day, but adding +.1 miles each time. I’m most excited to do my runs on a flat surface. My neighborhood is so hilly, so I feel like I’m setting myself up to get better. When I read your suggestions on Instagram, almost half of you said to keep my runs between 10:20-11:00 and that’s what I’m watching my app to make sure I do.

After my run, I took a shower and got ready to head out for a long walk with a friend at the Greenway. It was so good to get out and walk and talk because the weather was fantastic. We did a little over eight miles, and it felt great!Caitlin hosted wine night on Wednesday, so we grabbed some salads from Chopt and headed over to her place for the evening. We had a lot of fun sitting outside by her pool and chatting all things Bachelor! I also had to fuel up with some coffee because I was being a grandma and yawning nonstop. I most definitely got my steps in by the time I got home! 😯 I hope my apple watch looks more like this during the warmer months.I was excited for Thursday because I had a day planned with my mom. For breakfast, I had my gluten-free oats with banana protein powder, blueberries, and peanut butter (which I’m LOVING lately.) This breakfast is so filling and tastes like a dang dessert.

Around 10 am, my mom and I headed out on a long walk with the dogs around the neighborhood. They are always so happy when they get to see her.First stop: Capizzi, MD!

I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m in love with dermaplaning! I shared a little more about it below, but it’s changed my skin. I had an appointment for dermaplaning, and my mom had an appointment for some botox and volbella. I’m too chicken to do anything other than dermaplaning right now, but we’ll see. I also had some of my calcium deposits around my eyes taken care of, which was so amazing. I’m so self concious of the little bumps, and she took care of them for me. It was a bit painful, but it’s so worth it. They do such an amazing job, and we love stopping in because they are all so nice! If you’re in the Charlotte area, I highly recommend stopping in! You can browse their website here! My mom had a blepharoplasty last year on her eyelids because she was losing her vision, and Dr. Capizzi did an incredible job. If you click here, you’ll be able to see her photo because it’s the very first one on the left. I believe the after photo was from only a few days after the procedure.

Dermaplaning is an effective treatment for manually removing the top layer of the stratum corneum by using a scalpel to lightly scrape the face. This procedure dramatically smoothes and refreshes the skin. Dermaplaning also has the added benefit of removing facial hair. The facial hair that is removed is vellus hair that does grow back. Please note that the hair does not grow back thicker or thinner, lighter or darker but grows back the same as the hair follicle is not being impacted. This treatment is recommended every four weeks and is also an excellent addition to facials and chemical peels. –Dr. Capizzi Website

After we left, we headed to the mall to pick up a few things at Origin, and then to our favorite spot, Living Kitchen! I was in much need of an afternoon pick-me-up, so I started with a coconut milk latte. We ordered all the delicious foods! We were excited to try their cashew cheese spreads, so we ordered the “cheese” plate for an appetizer. It had cashew basil cheese, cashew cheddar, fig butter, raw crackers, and gluten-free bread. Goodness was it delicious!

My mom ordered the arugula harvest salad which is one of my favorites. It had arugula, purple cabbage, spiralized sweet potatoes, pear, caramelized pecans, cashew-basil cheese, maple-mustard vinaigrette, sprouts, and avocado. I ordered my usual but with gluten-free bread this time! I wasn’t in the mood for collard greens. I had the fire and brimstone burger. Mine had a gluten-free quinoa-millet veggie burger, chipotle sunflower seed hummus, tomato, red onion, guacamole, brimstone sauce, gluten-free bread and a side of broccoli waldorf salad. Ohhhhh that salad never gets old. I also ordered a kale caesar salad on the side because I wanted it for leftovers. Their “Caesar” dressing is unreal.We were on a “treat yo self” streak, so we decided to keep it going and order the chocolate turtle cheesecake for dessert! Ohhhhh man was it heavenly!Again, keeping the “treat yo self” day alive, I decided to take a hot bubble bath, and head straight to bed! ♥️ After getting a few tasks finished on Friday morning, I decided to lace up and head out on my run. There’s no way I can even make up an excuse because the run doesn’t take any time at all. I just have to go outside, run around the block, and come right back in. I love it. As I was showering off and getting ready to start my day, I decided to take a photo of some of the products I use weekly. I’ve been using them for so long, and I think they all play a huge roll in how my skin looks and feels. I posted them on Instagram, and I had a lot of requests to share more about them on my blog! So here it is 😃

The Aveda Smooth Infusion isn’t for my skin, but I always put it on my hair after getting out of the shower. It keeps my hair so smooth and tame! I’ve used this bottle for about nine months every other day, and I still have a lot left. It’s worth the purchase!

Mad Hippie Vitamin A Serum – I put this on my skin every night after washing my face and before moisturizing. I have used this for six months now, and I’ve noticed a huge decrease in the discoloration of my skin. I absolutely love love love this product.

I buy the Sukinproducts at Earthfare, but I’ve seen a few of them around the web!

Sukin Detoxifying Facial Masque – this is one of my favorite clean beauty products because it works great and will not make you pull out a second mortgage on the house. I use the Detoxifying facial during my Friday night and Monday night bubble baths.

Moisture Restoring Night Cream – This cream goes on my neck, arms, legs, and face when I get out of the shower. I’m all about restoring and hydrating after a hot shower. The container has a lot of lotion in it, and I love the way it makes my skin feel.

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Lines – This goes on my skin around my eyes every morning and night! I have to admit, the IT Cosmetics products are very expensive, but they do work.

Sukin Hydrating Mist – This goes on my face after the shower before moisturizer, and I also keep a cold one in my fridge to hydrate my skin after a run or dog walk. I just love the way it feels.

Glossier Hydrating Face Mask – I have a lot of the glossier products, and I’ve loved all of them, minus the mascara! This face mask is intense! It says to leave it on for fifteen minutes, but sometimes, I’ll sleep in it. My face always feels amazing when I do that!

I am going to film a nighttime routine for my YouTube channel, and I’ll share a bit more about these! 😃 I ordered the Honest Company shampoo and conditioner this morning and can’t wait to try them out. I will report back!I’ve been raving about these Plant Snacks for about six months now! I always pick them up at Earthfare when I’m grocery shopping, but Plant Snacks were kind enough to send me a few of their new flavors! I tried out the Salt & Vinegar and the Lime! Ohhhhhh boy! They were so delicious, and I loved dipping them in salsa as a snack! The Beet With Vegan Goat Cheese is also one of my favorites, especially when you’re craving something cheesy. I ended up having my Chopt (from Wednesday) and Living Kitchen leftovers for lunch! I had a sweet tooth later in the afternoon and tried out the new Daiya Espresso frozen desserts. All I’m going to say is “WOW!!!!!!” (a good wow)Kyle and I decided to try out the Broccoli & Kale crust for our Friday night pizza. I liked it a lot better than the Trader Joe’s Cauliflower crust. We used the Dei Fratelli pizza sauce (my favorite go-to) and Daiya mozzarella shreds.

We stayed in and watched Dateline because it’s our absolute favorite thing to do on a Friday night together. This was going to be the last time I saw Kyle almost all weekend because he was working on a big project for work. I think I saw him maybe 20-minutes all weekend. On Saturday morning, my dad joined me and the tennis group! His shoulder was finally feeling better, and he was ready to get out and play. We had so much fun, and it was nice to have him on my team! We played for about three hours, and then headed to Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar for lunch! I had a turkey burger in a lettuce wrap with a side of fresh fruit. The food tasted fantastic! I had such a fun morning with my dad. I even took him to Trader Joe’s for the first time! He’s a fan. I drove out to my parent’s house on Saturday evening to sick around the fire and let the dogs run around the backyard. They love car rides to the grandparents. I was so close to hitting my 15,000 steps, so my mom and I took our glasses of wine and took a walk down the street so I could get those steps in! It’s not weird. Stop thinking it’s weird. 😆

My mom made dinner, and we just sat around chatting by the fire and enjoying each others company! I decided to get my run done early on Sunday. I had a slice of gluten-free bread with peanut butter and banana and then headed out to run. Tomorrow, I’ll be doing 1.5! I plan on doing it at the park to change up the scenery and hills. After my run, I leashed up the boys and took them for a two-mile walk with me! (& gross, I need to clean my front door glass!)I had the best salad for lunch!

I chopped up butter lettuce and mixed greens and tossed it in a homemade dressing. I’ll post the recipe for the dressing soon! I topped my salad with the Plant Snack chips, avocado, chili almonds, onions, and trader joe’s falafel mix! I’m shocked at how the falafels tasted!I was craving nature, so I decided to take Leo to the Gardens with me to walk around. He is so good with other dogs and people when he’s not around Grumples, so he’s my “in public” walking buddy.

We walked about a mile and then sat on the swing having some lemonade. He’s so funny because he loves the swing but has to be sitting on my lap! I’ve been trying my best to connect with nature as much as I can because it truly improves my mood. When I got home, I had a cappucinno and a piece of my homemade almond joy bars! (that recipe will be up Wednesday!) I spent the evening watching American Idol with Kyle and ended up having my cauliflower gnocchi for dinner! Trader Joes restocked them, and I picked up like six bags! You know what I’ll be having for dinner for the next week 😆

The weather 100% affects my moods… no doubt. I haven’t been “clinically diagnosed” with it, but I’m positive I have a lot of symptoms of S.A.D. It’s such a bummer to have a SOLIDLY wintery-winter where it hurts your face just to go outside 99% of the time. Not. Cool. So, when it got to 43 degrees, we went for walks two days in a row because we couldn’t pass up the “sping-like” weather, haha!!

I have been using Plexus’ Joyome serum for a little over six months now, and I’m honestly not sure how I survived my teen years without it. It’s literally just one serum for morning after washing your face or showering, and one for night time! It doesn’t have sunscreen in it, so I still use my neutrogena, and I definitely love a homemade mask on occasion, but overall I NEVER get the nasty mix of oily and dry patches all over I have struggled with my entire life. Ugh. I also LOVE vitamin E oil for lashes, but I haven’t used it for a while because I ran out and then just didn’t get more for whatever reason haha.

I’m looking forward to NICE WEATHER this week for once!! It got up to 55 today, and even though it was a little overcast, I was thrilled to be outside in my light coat instead of my double layered heavy winter coat haha! It’s really the little things, sometimes. ♥

I think it’s unbelievable how much being outside can affect moods. I just got back from Florida for a long weekend and I feel so refreshed from all of the sun, living in Pennsylvania it’s now just finally getting to be mid 40s at least haha. I am trying to revamp my skin regimen and I’m loving cocokind! I’m hoping to go foundation free once my skin isn’t so red and blotchy but it’s getting there! I love the recaps!!

Thank you for discussing skin care! I’m happy to see that you’ve found something you’ve been using for years. The only product that has lasted years with me is my (Neutrogena) daily sunscreen. I noticed a hormone shift at the end of my 20s, so I’ve had to change my routine & opt for natural products. I just started mixing my own face oil (grapeseed with a few drops of frankincense) and it has been amazing at keeping away the dark circles under my eyes! I’m a full-time teacher, a grad student, and I also teach privately, but you’d never know when I’m low in sleep! Thanks for the recommendations! I’m excited to try the hydrating mist you mentioned! (Right now I’m using a rose water spray from Trader Joe’s.) Have an amazing week!

So funny you mentioned a hormone shift at the end of your twenties. I have been going through that hardcore right now. I may have to try that for dark circles! Mine are bad due to iron levels, but I’ve never heard of using grapeseed oil.

It’s very inspiring to watch you get back into running! Have you thought about maybe doing a “get fit with me” series on your channel? I enjoy watching videos like that to help me stay motivated and you inspire me every day.

I love so much your food pictures, it always make me hungry ^^ (I really need to try these chicken fingers!)

Do you find that nature affects your moods? Oh, yes. I don’t feel good when I can’t go outside, so even in winter I never skip my weekend run by the sea!

Do you have a skincare routine? Yes! I try to use the most natural products for my skin (honey masks save me when my face is on PMS mode!), and I can’t live without some rose water I found in Rome to feel fresh in the morning

What are you looking forward to this week? I’m running my first half marathon on Sunday! I’m pretty excited, and, to be honest, I’m so scared! I trained for ten weeks, but I don’t feel ready. At. All.

It´s been a while since my last visit here. I was reading your posts this week and just wanted to say that I am proud of you being 9 years blogging! I remember when I started reading you and it was around 7 years ago! S so I feel like I´ve been doing this journey with you 🙂

I see you tried skiing and I had the same feeling as you, just tried once and felt like it wasn´t my thing but still enjoyed the fact of leaving my comfort zone 🙂

Asnswering your questions: 1) Yes, nature affects my mood a lot and that was one of the reasons why I decided to move to Barcelona. I´m Polish and I was feeling pretty anxious during colder months.. because winter in Poland lasts way too long. Now with Spanish sun I feel more energetic every day! Of course there´s no sunny weather here every day but still, much better than in my country. 2) I do have my skincare routine but reading your post I realized that there are some things I should to more often. For example facial masks, I use do to it like twice per month maximum and I think it´s not enough. 3) This week I want to focus on decorating my flat becuase one month ago I moved to a new apartment. I am very excited to make it a nice and cozy place 🙂 So I will come across your posts looking for inspiration! I know you like home decor a lot so maybe I find some interesting ideas for me!

Have you tried the organic dark chocolate PB&J bites from Trader Joes… omg they’re amazing!! I love the rain and living in SoCal I don’t get it much but we’ve actually had a nice wet winter and are finally drought free. However today was sunny and 80 so I put on a sundress and walked the main drag in Seal Beach, before heading to Trader Joes it was lovely!

Nature definitely affects my moods – winter is never ending in MN, and Saturday it’s supposed to be 60 DEGREES. I’m stoked and can’t wait for the weekend.

I don’t, but I will soon! I became an Arbonne consultant and bought the anti-aging skincare line that comes with 6 different products. My main issue is getting into a habit. I don’t usually wash my face before bed but I know I should! I’m hoping I can get into a routine of washing both day and night!

Well I am definitely looking forward to the warmer weather lol and I am meeting a friend for breakfast before work on Wednesday and that is something that I’m looking forward to, too!

Thanks for sharing your running journey again – it’s great timing because I just started the couch to 5k app! It’s inspiring watching you run again!

I am so jealous of all the green & blooms you have! It’s still very “grey” here in Ohio.

Nature definitely has a positive effect on my mood. Even just leaving the office for a bit at lunch and seeing the sun helps. I’m looking forward to the warmer weather and more sunlight to be able to walk outside more. I seriously need to move south!

Oh my goodness, nature affects my mood so much. I find that during the winter I’m blue a lot more often and when spring rolls around I feel so excited about everything! My boyfriend has pointed this out too!

My skincare routine is so boring and simple but works for me. I just use Dove soap bars and follow up with an essential oil based lotion that Whole Foods sells in bulk.

This week I’m so looking forward to a little weekend getaway to the coast and more nice weather.

I totally relate to what you said about enjoying your walk without the dogs. I used to loooove going for long walks, but now that I have two dogs it can be very stressful. They are both huskies so people constantly ask to pet them. Sometimes I want to just walk without them but I feel so guilty leaving them at home.

You just described me. I totally feel you on the seasonal mood changes.

I love that you’ve found something simple that works for you! That is key.

Sounds like the perfect little getaway! Yes. I get that guilt too!! I make sure to walk them each a mile before I head out. Makes me feel good knowing that they already had their walks and they are at home resting!